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Las Vegas International Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Las Vegas International Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.7 
Organization 3.6 
Spectators 2.1
Number of comments: 154 [displaying comments 11 to 21]
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E. C. from Shreveport, LA
(5/19/2005)
 "DON'T DO IT!!!!!" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Las Vegas International Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 It was horrible, ugly, nasty, scary, just plain awful. I can't think of any other words to describe the experience. Don't do this one!!! I know the course is changing and the race director is changing, but even with that, I still suggest - find another marathon. | |
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Roger Dufresne from Derry, NH, USA
(5/3/2005)
 "THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE WORST!!!!" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Las Vegas International Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 I recently received my finisher's certificate from the marathon and it reawakened miserable thoughts about this year's race. Is that what they call a finisher's certificate and in comparison to the Marine Corps (all printed and with a ton of stats printed too)? I'm kind of embarassed to fill in my name and my time on the Vegas one -- can't wait to see what Boston has to offer. I bet it's something real classy like their race, course, fans and organization. I'm glad that the race has a new owner, but, the race director should be canned. I have run this race two years in a row and doubt I'll ever be back... I guess in reading some of the comments, there actually was some food at the end that we weren't charged for (yes, I was charged $6 for a sausage sandwich, bag of chips and a Pepsi-- never had that happen before -- even in Vegas last year!!). Can't prove it by me, a mid-packer, one of the runners that is said to be in the worst need for support after the race. SUPPORT???!! Was there any? Running out of cups at one of the water stops, no gels, no oranges -- just a lot of wind both from Mother Nature and from the organizers. I can't figure out what happened to the $75 entry fee if all we got was a ride in a school bus to the start... Well, we did get the desert scenery -- I loved the course and the run through the desert with all of its morning colors -- guess this was the only thing I liked about the race for 2 years in a row. Spectators were hard to find and they also had a hard time seeing us... my wife finally got a chance to see me at mile 21 but had to figure out where since they changed the route and didn't tell anybody. She also said there was no way she was able to see me any time before that because she was still unfamiliar (maybe scared is a better word) with the city and its roads and the maps given out were so abbreviated that you really couldn't use them (I nearly ran over a 3-foot embankment in one the roads that looked like we could use but the street was under repair - "DEVESTATED" might be a better word). And no word of repairs either (the street I'm talking about had been under repair for some time). DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. My wife accompanied me to see me run and twice in 2 years she saw me at different points near mile 21 (despite technically being the same course); in Boston she saw me twice despite having to deal with children, grandchildren and a dog and the T... This race really needs to consider the needs of its runners and family, and forget the prize money... PRIZE MONEY -- I didn't even see the elites at the start; they must have been hiding them from us riff-raff. Guess that's where my $75 went... to some Kenyan who runs for a living. They're going to destroy our sport and organizers like this are greasing the rails too. This isn't just me. The same information (sans Keyans and prize money) is printed in the magazine 'Distance Running' in the Jan - March 2005 edition. It's really hard to believe that this marathon has been around longer than NYC. While I haven't run NYC yet, all the comments are great regarding the race and it's one that is increasing in size by nearly the amount of runners here. I've run both Boston and the Marine Corps and they run races, not jokes like Vegas. MARATHON FOTO!!! I just remembered that the shock and confusion of seeing a woman in all my pictures... until I realized that she had the same number as me but was in the half marathon. She must have shocked too. Needless to say, I didn't buy a picture because besides sharing my number (shame on you organizers -- you could at least have given the half runners a different number sequence), who wants a picture of yourself taken in some run-down industrial center and not at the finish line. By the way, she got a picture at the finish line. Maybe Marathon Foto gave up after 3 hours or so. Or maybe you're planning to run only a half marathon in the future. I just hope the new owners see my comments (I'm just too disgusted to add more) and act on them for the future benefit of other runners and for themselves. The change of the course is a good starter, but I know even if I wanted to run this again DOUBTFUL!!!!!!!!!), a start date so close to Christmas puts this race out of bounds for me. I chose it since it gave me a winter respite at the end of January and the real cold hasn't hit us in NH as of yet in December. GOOD LUCK NEW OWNERS!!! FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, CHANGE THE STAFF WHO SCREWED THIS UP FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS... | |
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S. A. from Bellingham, WA
(4/17/2005)
 "Got a PR, but......." (about: 2005)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Las Vegas International Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I knew the start was a slight incline for the first 9 miles or so, knew to take it easy. But after you crested and started on a long downhill. The wind was tough. Mile 16 water point had no cups. Saw Michael Waltrip pass me at mile 20. I like the tail wind the last 3 miles. With all the big money in Vegas, you would think they would do it up big. It needs a lot of work and the new route, might be what it needs. | |
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M. M. from Fort Mill, SC
(4/8/2005)
"Call Me Crazy..." (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Las Vegas International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 I've already provided comments in a separate note (M.M. from Fort Mill, SC) and gave the race overall good marks. I concluded by saying that I'd run the race again IF it finished on the strip. Guess what? The course has been changed, with the start and the finish by the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Even more important, the race has been moved to December 4, 2005, which I've been assured means a lot less wind! With the changes, and owing to the fact that my wife and I have just returned from Las Vegas where we had a great time, I've decided to run the race for the second time in the same year! Call me crazy... but I love Las Vegas and when and where else can you run the same race twice in the same year. | |
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M. S. from Massachusetts
(4/3/2005)
"Thought I'd seen it all" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Las Vegas International Marathon
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 Thought I'd seen it all but after having run 15 marathons, Las Vegas is the cheapest. Received my certificate for marathon completion the other day, it was blank. You put in your name and time. Never seen that in any other marathon I've run and I've run big and small. Very poor for such a large city. I won't be back. Get your act together Vegas! | |
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j. w. from tennessee
(3/8/2005)
 "great course, flat but very windy" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Las Vegas International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The course was great. It was flat but the wind factor over the last half of the race was bad. Someone said the wind is always bad for this race. Our bus driver had been given the wrong exit number for where he should let us off, so we ended up going 10 to 15 miles too far and having to turn around. Other than that it was very organized. I'm not sure why the half-marathon starts first. | |
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M. M. from Fort Mill, SC
(3/1/2005)
"Las Vegas is the New Windy City" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Las Vegas International Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I had fun running the LV Marathon. Name another race where Elvis sings the national anthem. Running through the 'mountains' and then the desert was a good break from city marathons. Too bad the wind was so strong for more than 14 miles; tough to set a PR with 25 mph headwinds. Next year have enough cups and sports drinks! I'll be back IF the race finishes on the strip. | |
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M. S. from New Jersey
(2/24/2005)
"Enough Said" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Las Vegas International Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 The last three pages of comments sums up nicely the issues with this marathon in general! It is in need of new race organization and a course that runs down the strip and makes a spectacular finish! I ran it primarily for the benefit of Michael Waltrip's Operation Marathon. Probably will not be back! | |
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B. P. from Philadelphia, PA
(2/22/2005)
"What a Downer - Especially for Vegas" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Las Vegas International Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 I'm usually positive after every marathon I run, but this one pushed me over the edge. First off: Where was the food after the race? I paid $80 for an orange and 3-inch long PowerBar? If this were a $40 marathon, I wouldn't feel too bad. But the Vegas Marathon was billed as a large, 'international' race...I was expecting more - much more. I can understand if some people thought the course was desolate, but I enjoyed the scenery and it was a nice departure from the urban races I'm used to doing. The worse problem, as mentioned, was the wind. The wind NEVER stopped... it was a constant 25 mph in your face from mile 8 to 23. I know I can't blame the organizers for this. My advice is to take your $80 or $90 find another winter marathon - anywhere but Vegas. | |
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J. H. from Pennsylvania, USA
(2/22/2005)
 "OK, but not one to repeat." (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Las Vegas International Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 Course profile is somewhat deceiving. The downhill portion felt flat rather than downhill, although that could have been attributed to the strong headwind. Few hills in the early miles were noticeable, but not difficult. If you do experience headwinds, you'll have them for the first 20 miles as it's a straight line into Vegas before the first turn. Half and full marathon starting points and times are different, avoids a lot of congestion in the early miles. Point-to-point course, so bussed to the start, but the busses stay at the start, so you can relax in relative comfort until gun-time. A nice touch. If you need spectator support, this is not your race. |
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